Officer claimed to be mentoring teen he killed

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- A former Memphis police officer who lost his job after fatally shooting a 15-year-old boy told his superiors that he had known the youth about a month and had been trying to mentor him.

Police internal affairs documents obtained by The Commercial Appeal under Tennessee's public records law show that Terrance Shaw was forced to resign after his second fatal shooting in six years. The files indicated that police officials questioned Shaw's involvement with the teenager, Justin Thompson, and his judgment in befriending a stranger.

The records show that Shaw didn't know Thompson's last name, hadn't told the youth that he was an officer and hadn't told the boy's mother about their relationship.

Shaw said Thompson was trying to rob him when he was shot on Sept. 24.

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